Multiple-ply paper



Sept. l, 1925..

E. B. FISH MULTIPLE FLY PAPER l, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed NOV Sept. l, 1925.

E. B. FISH MULTIPLE PLY PAPER Original Filed No.r. l, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. l, 1925.

'3 :.Er. E

E. B. FISH i MULTIPLE PLY4 PAPER Original Filed NOV. l, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 1-,y19 25.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'ori-*ica EZRA FISH, F FERGUSON, MISSOURI.'

MULTIPLE-PLY PAPEIVt.

Original application ltiled November 1, 1921, Serial No. 512,148. Divided and this 2, 1923. Serial No. 836,198.

To all wlwmuz't may concern.: I Beit known that I, EziiA B. Fisrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ferguson, in the county of St. Louis fand State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inA Multiple-Ply Paper, of which'the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its object to provide a multiple-ply paper wherein the plies or layersare permanently and inseparably united to form a substantially homogeneous unitary structure, the paper being particularly suitable for Ause for photographic purposes, it having outer plies or layers on its opposite sides which may be white or of other suitable color and adapted to receive the sensitized 'emulsions and an intermediate light intercepting ply or layer which is black or otherwise permanently opaque or non-actinic, the plies of the sheet thus formed being permanently united so that they will not separate or blister when `wet ortreated in photographic developing,

fixing and washing baths, and the sheet will Figure 1l is a side elevation of the right hand end of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine showing one of the devices for shaking the web-forming Wires of the machine, and

Figure 3 represents on a greatly enlarged scale a section through a sheet of photographie paper made in accordance with the p-resent invention.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference 'character-s in the different views.

The invention comprehends multiple-ply paper of different kinds andl adapted for Various uses where a strong and tough paper is required or desirable, the plies of the russia-:ii

application filed May paper being united intimately'l and permanently without the use of a paste or other adhesive. Multiple-ply paper suitable for various purposes may be provided inexpensively, such for example,` as paper sheets having a relatively coarse or inexpensive quality of libre forming the intermediate The invention is using paste or other adhesive, and furtheru more, the paper will withstand setting or soaking in a developing, fixing or washing bath or similar treatment without separation of the plies or blistering of its surface.

Figure 3 represents diagrammatically and on a greatly enlarged scale, a section through' a double-sided photographic paper capable of being produced. .by the method and apparatus hereinafter described. a and c represent the outer layers produced by the Webs formed in the units' A and C, the-se duter'layers being white, while b represents .the interposed opaque layer produced by the web formed iny the unit B.' w and y represent sensitized emulsions or coatings applied to the outer faces of the outer layers a and c.

The apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings is capable of making a sheet of strong and tough paper made up of three plies. This apparatus, as shown, comprises a group of Web-forming units A, B and C,

on which the respective plies or layers, such v as the plies or layers a, b and c, Big. 3, are made, a unit D on which the respective plies v or layers are. brought .together in superposed relation, and a unit E on which the assembled superposed plies or layers are united, after which the composite paper sheet or web will ass under the dand roll, through the couc rolls, onto the rying cylinders and otherwise treated in the inanner in which ordinaryv paper is treated, in

order to produce the nalfinished paper.

Each of the Web-forming unitsA, B and C is similar in its general constructionv to the 4Fourdrinier machine commonly used in the manufacture of ordinary paper, each unit comprising an endless wire or foraminous apron 1 which passes over end pulleys apparatus, and overfiow ofv this pulp solution from the side or longitudinal edges of the wire or apron is prevented by the usual deckle straps 5. A save-all box 6 is preferably located below the upper stretch of superposed relation to make up the Wire, as usual, to receive the portions of the ulp solution which pass downwardly throug the Wire or apron.A It will be understood that in the'operation of the apparatus, the wires or aprons Will be driven at a constant or definite rate of speed in relation to the rate of speed at which the pulp solution is flowed onto the upper stretches f the Wires and that the web produced by the r)draining of the liquid portion of the solution through the wire, leaving the libres of the pulp deposited-on the upper surface of the upper stretch `of the wire, will pass oii' from the right hand end of each Wire. Each unit may be rovided with a suction box 7 near its web ischarge end,- to remove any surplus or remaining liquid. from the web, thus giving the web sufficient strength to proceed through ythe apparatus, as will be hereinafter described. By this arrangement, it will be understood that a separate Web is produced b each of the units A, B and C, these webs eing delivered from these units to the unit 'D on .which they are assembled in the composite or. multiple-ply paper strlp comprising layers such as the layers a, b and lc,

Fig. 3.

n order to cause interlocking of the fibres 4of the ulp solution while these fibresv are being eposited on the wire or apron of each of the units A, B and C, and thus increase the strength and toughness of the respective layers, it is preferable to impart a.

. shaking action in a substantially horizontal plane to the Wire or apronof each of the units A, B and C and this shaking action may take place in a direction eitherlaterally or o ngitudinally or both laterally and longitudinally of the direction of travel of the web. As shown in the present instance, the

wires of the units A and C receive a lateral shaking action while the wire or apron .l for the intermediate unit yB receives a lon'- gitudinal shaking action. For this purpose the frame 8 which 'carries one end of the Wire or apron and the pulley or roller at the .pulp-receiving end of the unit, is supported on uprights 9 which are pivoted at 10 so that they may shift laterally to the requisite degree, and the opposite'v end of" the frame 8 toward the Web-disc arge end of this unit has a limited longitudinal movement relatively to' the pin 11a. Any suitable means may be .provided for imparting the shaking movements to the Wires of the different units. In the present instance, the frame 8 of the units A and C has an upwardly projecting extension 12 which is connected 4by ailink 13 to a crank pin 111 on a driving wheel 15, the latter being driven continuously during the yoperation of the apparatus by a belt or other suitable driving means. The frame 8 ofthe interediate unit B has a similar upward eXtenion122fl which is connected -by a link 13 to a crank pin 14a on a driving Wheel 15* which also may, be driven by a belt or other suitable means during the operation of the apparatus. By the parrangement described,

the extensions 12 on the frames 8 of the units i A and C will vibrate laterally to impart a transverse shaking Vmovement of the Wires ofthese units, While thel extension 12a on the frame 8 of the vintermediate unit will be vibrated longitudinally, thus imparting longitudinal shakingmotion to the Wire of this unit. In this manner the fibres While being deposited on4 the wires of the top and transversely of the direction of motion of these Wires, or substantially so, while the libres being deposited on the wire of the apron 16 similar to the wire or apron commonly used on Foilrdrinier machines, this AWire passing over pulleys or rollers' 17 and having its upper stretch supported and guided by a series of idler rollers 18. Preferably the units A, B and C are mounted one above another but oifset'longitudiually, as shown in Figure 1, and the Wire or apron -bottom units A and C Will be -arranged of the unit D is arranged `on an incline so that its upper stretch is in close proximit to the web-delivery ends of the units A,

and C. In practice, the wire or apron 16 will be driven regularly at a speed equal to or in definite relation to the speed of the wires of the units A, B and C. The webproduced on thelowermost unit C to make, for example, the ply r layer c, Fig. 3, will' be delivered to the upper side of the wire or apron 16 at a point near the lower roller or pulley 17 and'this web will be carried upwardly with the ascending upper stretch of theY wire or apron 16. The intermediate unit B wlldeliver the web produced by it, to make, for example, the ply or layer b, Fig. 3, onto the upper side of the web produced on the lowermost unit C. Similarly, the paper Web produced by the uppermost unit A, to make, for example, the ply or layer a, Fig. 3, will be delivered from this unit onto the upper side of the web produced bythe intermediate unit B` and these three webs in -superposed relation to one another will be delivered from the upper end `of the unit D to the unit E for further treatment, as will be hereinafter described.-

In order to effect or facilitate interlocking of the ibres of one web with they bres of another web and thus increase the strength and toughness of the composite paper strip', a pair of fluid-injecting pipes 19 and 20'- or equivalent means is provided for sprayin water or .other liquid or Huid onto the we or webs, prior to the superposin of another' web thereon, whereb these we s are softened to an extent t at will facilitate ther final and complete interlocking of the bres of the composite sheet and thus lform a single unitary but composite paper sheet. As shown, the water or fluid injectin pipe 19 will supply water or liquid td t e-upper surface of the web delivered by the unit C to the unit D, prior to the superposin of the web from the intermediate unit thereon and similarly the pipe 20 will supply water or other suitable fluid to the u per side of the web delivered to the Aunit by the unit B, prior to the superposing ofthe web from the upper unit A thereon.

The unit E is preferably employed to finally unite the Webs to form a single strong, tough and unitary paper strip. This unit, as shown, comprises a table 21 F over which the composite web delivered from the upper end of the unit D passes, and an endless wire cloth or apron 22 which is driven in unison with the wire or apron 16 and passes over the top of the table 21 in the direction in-which the web is advancing.

- The wire or apron 22, as shown, passes over rolls 23 and 24, the latter of which may be one' of the couch rolls as ordinarily used in paper making machines, the other couch roll 25 being arranged above the roll 24, as

apron 3, these vacuum boxes serving to draw v the liquid from or through the compositev web resting on thewire or apron immediately above the'vacuum boxes, thereby not only uniting the layers compactly but also causing an interlockin between the bres of the different webs or ayers. To facilitate this interlockin action, the unit E and particularly the we -supporting'wire thereof is preferably subjected to a shaking action.

For example, as shown, the wire of this unit .and the related mechanisms thereof carried by the frame 26 may shake or vibrate laterally or in a direction transversely 'to the direction of movement of the web, owing t`o the pivotal mounting of the frame 26 at the points 29 and an extension 30 on the frame -26 may be connected by a link 31 tothe crank pin 32 of a driving wheel 33, this driving wheel operating during the operation of the apparatus to impart a lateral or transverse shaking movement of the unit E and particularly to the web-supporting wire thereof. In this arrangement, when used, the'frame of the unit D may be formed inl-two s'e'ctions 34 and 35, the upper section 35 which is adjacent to the unit E being pivoted at 36 to the lower section 34 andthe -upper section 35 may be conveniently carried b or attached -to the frame 26 of the unit so that the upper or web-delivery end-of the u nit D will participate in the shaking action to which the unit E is subjected, thus 'avoiding breakage of or injury to the, web. The composite web, after the liquid" supplied to it by the pipe 27 has been removed by the forward vacuum box 28, passes beneath a dandy roll 37 which functions like the dandy roll used in the ordinary method of making paper, after which the web passes between the couch rolls 24 and 25 and. onto the drying cylinders and ma be further treated in the manner usual wit ordinary paper.

According to the above describedfmethod of procedure, the paper web is produced initially from pulp solution by each of the units A, B and C. These individual paper webs are delivered onto the wire of the unit D so that these individual webs are assembled in superposed'relation to one another but without the `application of pressure thereto. To facilitate interlocking of the fibres of the different layers forming the composite web of paper strip,water or other suitable fluid orwliquid is supplied to the surface of each web prior to the superposing of another web thereon. Thecomposite web received by the unit E and while uncompressed, is united as' to its constituent plies by subjecting the composite web to aLsuction action which withdraws the liquid oriiuid contained by it and preferably an additional supplyof liquid or fluid is flowed onto the upper .surface of the composite web and this liquid also is drawn through and withdrawn from the composite web by the suction boxes, this latter action upon the composite web while still uncompressed causing interlocking y to photographic paper of the kindwhich is sensitized on both sides thereof, as at and y, (Fig. 3) with l'an intervening lopaque layer, such as b. In producing photographic paper of this kind, the procedure maybe the same as that hereinbefore described, awith the exception, however, that the pulp supplied to the units A and .Cvwill be of a kind suitable for the making lof white paper layers a and c, while thepulp supplied to the intermediate unit B for the making of the intermediate layer b will be of an opaque nature, as, for example as may be produced by incorporating a suitable kind and quantity of opaque or non-actinic coloring matter of a Apermanent nature with such pulp.` In consequence, the `opaque web bproduced b the unit B and delivered to the unit D wi beinterposed between 4the white paper webs m and c, produced anddelivered by the units A and C and as these individual webs, pr o duced by the units A, B and C are suiiciently set when delivered by their: respective ,units to .maintain substantially their struc-l 'my' hand;

tural'form, there will be no objectionable intermixing of the opaque fibres of the Aintermediate web b with the white fibres ofthe outer webs a and c, although the libres of the intermediate and outer webs willbe inter- Ilocked inthe zones of their contacting faces to an extentsuiiicient to interlock the webs tol form a unitary structure, without requiring the use of paste or other adhesive. c

The present invention provides' a multipleply paper whichA can be manufactured on 'a commercial scale 'and inexpensively, and will be of uniformythickness and quality, and such paper can be made relatively thin vor' ot any desired thickness depending on the purposes or uses to which'iit is tobe applied, and the relative thickness of its'constituent plies can 'I be variedas desired. While the paper herein shown 'and described is made. of threel plies, it is to be understoodl that the same may have different numbers of plies; lfor exam le, in the manufacture of photograp ic paper`l having 'one side 'only sensi,- tized, as for instance, photographic post cards, visiting cards or'the like, a body orbacking ply may be employed in conjunction with a facing ply on one side only, the two plies, however, being united and otherwise treated as hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention:

, 1. A paper sheet comprising a photographically opaque ply and a facing ply united permanentl ing vof the ijbres o the'plies.

2. A sheet of photographic paper comprising an intermediate photographically opaque ply and facing plies on opposite sides thereof and united therewith by interlocking of the'fibres of the plies and sensi tized photographic coatings' applied to the surfaces of the facing'plies.

In testlmonywhereof'l have hereunto 'set therewith by interlock- N 

